Exposed filing and record keeping equipment



1954 N. J. SPINDLER EIAL ,74

EXPOSED FILING AND RECORD KEEPING EQUIPMENT Filed Aug. 16, 1951 Imvc: 91:8 Norman J. Spindlw 0cm! 0. Peterson I Cttlorneg Patented Jan. 12, 1954 EXPOSED FILING AND RECORD KEEPING EQUIPMENT Norman J. Spindler and Carl 0. Peterson, Jamestown, N. Y., assignors to Watson Manufacturing Company, Inc., Jamestown,

ration of New York N. Y., a corpo- Appllcation August 16, 1951, Serial No. 242,136

Claims. 1

This invention relates to filing equipment, and

more particularly to equipment that is intended to store and facilitate the handling of large quantitles of records.

In ofiices where this type of equipment is utilized, a file clerk or other operator must have such conveniences as will enable the rapid and accurate compiling, changing and replacement of records. To accomplish this, it is necessary that a file clerk be capable of quickly moving from one section of the filing equipment to another and at the same time be provided with facilities for making or changing records. This, of course, is best accomplished through the use of a carriage equipped with a seat and other accommodations, such as a table. The carriage being constrained to move along a track paralleling the filing equip ment, assures the operator or file clerk of being in approximately the desired position with respect to the equipment at all times.

Due to the fact that file clerks are undoubtedly of different sizes and perform their work from individually comfortable or convenient positions, it is important to provide a combined carriage and seat that is suitable for all operators or clerks. The present invention is therefore directed particularly to a carriage mounted seat for a file clerk for use in connection with the above mentioned elongated filing equipment. More specifically, the invention is directed to an improvement of the structure shown in Patent #2552434 wherein the elongated filing equipment is made accessible to an operator through the use of a combined movable carriage and seat.

Th disclosure of the above patent provides a carriage, table and chair combination by which an operator may readily move from one to the other end of elongated filing equipment and examine and change or correct records on the table mounted on the carriage. The chair shown in this patent, for operator convenience, was made adjustable toward or away from the work table. However, as this patent discloses, the elongated filing equipment may be arranged in spaced parallel arrangement with an operator working in the aisle or passageway therebetween. Under such circumstances an operator must have convenient access to the files on either side of such an aisle. As is frequently the case, the records in such equipment are arranged transversely of the file length and are of a greater width than that shown in the above mentioned patent and difficulty may be encountered by an operator in reaching and acting upon the furthermost records on one side or the other.

Inasmuch as filingequipment of the type to which this invention has reference is utilized in organizations such as insurance companies, governmental agencies, etc., it is evident that the making, recording, or changing of voluminous records must be made or carried out with a minimum of both time and efiort.

It is a purpose and object of the present invention to provide means by which an operator attending the above designated type of filing equip ment is enabled to gain access to and conveniently handle all records, whether they be to the right or left of the operator.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a carriage mounted seat that is operator adjustable to one side or the other for the-convenient handling of records.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of a carriage mounted seat that may be selectively adjusted into and secured in a position to one or the other side of the carriage or, as the case may be, transversely of the direction of the length of the filing equipment and the direction of movement of the carriage. j

Other objects and advantages will be more fully understood from a consideration of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing; and in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the invention associated with a carriage and table of a type disclosed in the above mentioned patent, parts being broken away to present certain of the structural details;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the seat support, parts being broken away to disclose certain details of the sidewise adjustability of the seat; l

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the structure shown in Fig. 2, parts being broken away to disclose the selective positioning of the seat to one oranother side of the supporting pedestal; I

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and shows the latch or fastening mech:- anism by which the seat is secured in desired laterally adjusted position; and

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4 showing the position of the movable parts when the seat is released for and is adjustable from one to the other side of the mounting pedestal.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the reference numeral [0 is employed to designates, portion of elongated filing equipment with which the present invention is intended to be associated; This equipment is shown to be of tub-like form,

.slot 33 is a tubular sleeve 36.

mounted on suitably arranged legs H. Within the tub, file trays or records may be arranged lengthwise or transversely thereof, depending on the particular type of records accommodated. For convenience, the innermost legs of the filing equipment provide attachment for a rail l2 which includes a base 13 on which is located an inverted V-track [4, A file clerk conveyance, generally designated by the numeral I6, is intended to be movable along the equipment i in predetermined proximity. This conveyance comprises a pair of spaced frames I! which, at their forward end, become upright supports 18 forawork table l9. Suitable bracing, such as. aniapron 2|, connects the supports 18. At the lower ends of the supports, a pair of wheels 22 and 23 are provided. Wheel 23 is of lesser diameter than wheel2 2 and is grooved, as at 24, to fit and roll upon the track H. A pair of rear wheels 26 and 21' are provided, Wheel 2'! being of the same diameter and grooving aswheel 23 andalsoiriding the track. 54. Spannin the frame I? is a pedestal 28. This pedestal may-be secured in any suitable manner. to the frames and includes upstanding end walls 29 and topiwal W hi the ed sta a r nsv e y extending bracing plate 32,-this plate being attached to the inner surfaces of the side and top walls 29 and 3I Y i ..Fo riward ly :and ,centrallygihe top-wall 3i 'is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 33. A slotted finish or cover plate 34 is mounted/on the; wall 31 and serves to provide desired width and length to the slot. Projecting through the V The upper end oft-this sleeve mounts a collar 3 'l which rests uponthe top surface of plate 34;. -Extending into the sleeve 36 is a post 38 which, at itsupper end is provided with the,usual supports (not shown) for a seat 39 and back rest 4!. q .'.;Extending in;the direction ofthe slot 33, and

attached to the under face:of'thepedestal top '3l, are a pair of Z -shaped guides 42.

guides mount a slide bar 43 which, otcourse, is

These apertured to receive the sleeve 36. For.the, purpose of rigidifying this sleeve with respect to the bar,-gusset plates 44 are shown attachedto diametrically opposite. portions; of the sleeve and include upper flanged edges 4'5 which are permanentlyjoined to the central under portion of the slide, bar. This structure provides. strong and rugged sliding support for-the sleeve 33 which, of course, is required to mount and support the seat and back rest. Attached to the, under face of the slide bar 43 is an indexing plate 41. This plate is formed with a laterally offset flange ,48,

Cir

in which a series of spaced apertureslS are made.

It is evident from the above described structure thatthe seat may be adjusted withinthe limits of movement ofthe sleeve 33 within slot 33 and in ;a direction transversely to the constrained direction of movement oi the conveyance.

. Depending from the rearv edge of the top wall 31 is a bracket 5i. The lower end of thisbracket terminates in a slott ed flange 52. Midway of the length of the bracket, a reinforcing brace 53. is provided, being joined to. the plate 32. A vertical slot 54 is made in the bracket 5| through which one end of a bolt 56 projects. The, end of thisbolt is secured to the central portion of a manually operable lever. 57, the lower end of this leverv projecting into-theslotted flange 52 of the bracket 5 The bolt projects through an p'pening in the plate new is in the same hori 'z 'ontal pl'ane as the series of ,openin'gstt in the indexing plate 41. A collar 53 is secured centrally of th bolt 56. Between one end of this collar and a washer 59 is located an expansion spring 6|. This spring normally urges the bolt in a direction to bring the lever 51 into contact with the rear edge of the top wall 3| of the pedestal, in which position thefreeyend of the bolt will engage one of the index plateopenings 49. The position of the parts thus described is clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Rearward movement of the lever 51 withdraws the bolt 53 from an opening 49 under tension of spring 6!, this position of the parts being shown in 3 55-1.

; Althoughjin the present showing the invention is.associatedewithifiling equipment at only one side of the path of travel of the conveyance, it isclear from the disclosure in the patent above referred to that the conveyance may be located in an aisle formed by two such pieces of elongated filing equipment, arranged in spaced, parallel relationship Ashas already beenmentioned;, the purpose of the invention is to enable an operator to easily and rapidly handle required work or records in filing equipment located at either or both sides of the conveyance and to enableoperator adjustment toward or away vfrom the, filing equipment of either side for the most convenient I working position. .Thus, in .the present disclosure it is conceivable thatan operatonwould wish to move the seat 39 towardthe filing.- equipment it from the position shown in Fig. 1,. To accomplish this, it is merely necessary to operate the lever 51, thus withdrawingthebolt; 56- 1mm en gagement with the indexing platefl'l... vMovement of the seat in a lateral direction moves t heslide bar and attached structure, bringingpne or .another openingof .the index plate intoregistry. w th the bolt. Upon release of thelever, the bolt again engages another index opening;andv the seat is latched or securedin the new position. 7 v

Although applicant has shown and described only one form ,of his invention, it. will be understood that variations or modifications thereof may be made and are contemplated insofar-as such variations or modifications are within the. spirit and scope of the invention as set out in the an- .nexed claims. fl

Having thus set forth, myi fi n-wh tl 7 claim as new and for which I desire protection by Letters Patent is: r

t 1. In a file clerk conveyance for use elon-. gated filing. equipment having a wheel mounted carriage, means constraining movement of said carriage to the direction of the length of the equipment with which it is associated; aseatcar rying pedestal on said carriage, the topwall oi said pedestal havinga slot extending transversely to the direction,oi movement .of said, carriage/a slidable position.

in the direction of the length of said slot, a vertical sleeve extending through said bar and said slot, means rigidly securing said sleeve to said bar, a collar on the upper end of said sleeve, being of a diameter to straddle said slot, a seat supporting post projecting through said collar into said sleeve, and index latching means operable to secure said bar in any given slidable position with respect to said pedestal.

3. In a file clerk conveyance for use with elongated filing equipment having a carriage, wheels mounting said carriage, a track paralleling said equipment, certain of said wheels being engaged with said track and constraining movement of said carriage in the direction of the length of said equipment; a pedestal extending transversely of said carriage and having an elongated slot in the top wall thereof, a slide bar beneath the pedestal top wall, a vertical sleeve carried by said bar and projecting through said slot and above said pedestal, a seat supporting post extending into said sleeve, and latch means for securing said slide bar in any given slidable position with respect to said pedestal.

4. In a file clerk conveyance for use with elongated filing equipment having a carriage, wheels mounting said carriage, a track paralleling said equipment, certain of said wheels being engaged with said track and constraining movement of said carriage in the direction of the length of said equipment; a pedestal forming part of said carriage, the top of said pedestal having a slot extending transversely of the direction of movement of said carriage, a slide bar in said pedestal beneath said slot and movable in the direction of the length of said slot, a seat supporting post, means extending through said slot and carried by said bar adapted to mount said post, a plate on said bar having a plurality of apertures arranged in the direction of movement of said bar, a latch bolt mounted for axial movement into selective engagement with said apertures, and a manually operable lever for moving said bolt.

5. In a file clerk conveyance for use with elongated filing equipment having a carriage, wheels mounting said carriage, a track paralleling said equipment, certain of said wheels being engaged with said track and constraining movement of said carriage in the direction of the length of said equipment; a pedestal forming part of said carriage, the top of said pedestal having a slot extending transversely of the direction of movement of said carriage, a slide bar in said pedestal beneath said slot and movable in the direction of the length of said slot, a seat supporting post, a vertical sleeve carried by said bar and projecting through said slot and above said pedestal, said post projecting into said sleeve, a plate carried by said bar, said plate having a plurality of apertures arranged in the direction of movement of said bar, a latch bolt mounted for axial movement into selective engagement with said apertures, a lever joined to and operable to withdraw said bolt from any one of said apertures, and a spring normally urging said bolt into engagement with any given aperture.

NORMAN J. SPJLNDLER. CARL O. PETERSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 821,704 Conway May 29, 1906 937,343 Wallace Oct. 19, 1909 1,060,838 Groenendyke May 6, 1913 1,245,967 Ray Nov. 6, 1917 1,782,270 Mendenhall Nov. 18, 1930 2,324,207 Gsell July 13, 1943 2,335,254 Atwood Nov. 30, 1943 2,552,434 Klapman May 8, 1951 

